The Iron Pen #55
"...graven with an iron pen and lead..." Job
19:24
Pastor David L. Brown, Ph.D.
God & Country
It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible!
George Washington
The Greatest Mischief
Pastor David L. Brown, Th.M.
There is a growing movement in our culture to water down the Bible’s contents,
making it "politically correct" to the winds of doctrine of the day. In fact, we
see a constant series of governmental directives and court decisions removing the Bible
from the public realm. My stand is that of the Reformation era author sometimes known as
Junker Jorg who wrote, "No greater mischief can happen to a Christian people than to
have God’s Word taken from them or falsified, so that they no longer have it pure and
clear. God grant that we and our descendants be not witnesses of such a calamity. Let us
not lose the Bible, but with diligence, in fear and invocation of God, read and preach
it."
James Bartley Recounts His "Jonah"
Experience
The Bible tells of a man named Jonah who was swallowed by "a great fish"
prepared by the Lord (Jonah 1:15-16). According to Matthew’s Gospel, Jonah was
"...three days and three nights in the whale's belly..." (Matthew
12:40).
For years skeptics doubted anyone could survive such a harrowing experience. But, James
Bartley did and they called him a "Modern Jonah." I related
the larger part of this account in the last issue of Fellowship -- volume 2, number
54. In this issue I want to complete the account that appeared in the February 19, 1944
issue of The Gospel Herald.
In telling his story to a reporter, Bartley said, he remembered being upset in
the boat. He remembered being tossed unceremoniously into the air. The next thing he
recalled was a rumbling roar such as might be made by a train traveling through a tunnel
at a high speed. He imagined the sound was caused by the pounding of the whale’s tail
on the water. He found himself in impenetrable darkness and as he felt about with his
hands he touched a slimy substance which yielded to pressure. He felt himself being drawn
forward into a compartment where he could breathe more freely. He tried to escape from his
prison yet every time he attempted to approach the narrow entrance some irresistible force
drew him back.
Suddenly, like a bolt from the azure blue, his awful plight dawned on him. He was
a prisoner inside the great sea monster. The heat was almost unbearable. Perspiration
poured throught his skin. It was too much for him. He grew weak and finally sank in
exhaustion. Death seemed the only avenue of escape. In a whirlwind of anxiety and anguish
he collapsed and remembered nothing more until he regained consciousness in the cabin of
the ship.
Two verses come to my mind as I ponder the above account –
Psalms 119:160 Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of
thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.
Isaiah 40:8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of
our God shall stand for ever.
The Confused Usher
It was the usher’s first experience at a church wedding. When he saw the church
filling with people he became very nervous and excited. His main responsibility was to
keep the Reserved section empty. As the organist started out with the bridal march, the
usher saw a large woman sit down in the reserved section. Excitedly he went down the aisle
and said to the woman – "Mardon me, padam, but you are occupewing the wrong pie;
won’t you let me sew you another sheet?" (copied from February 1963 Christian
Victory)
A Penny For Your Thoughts
David L. Brown
Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is
he…
Does it make any difference what you think about? Do your thoughts really influence
your life? In answer to these two questions I submit the following true story.
The setting was the Hofberg library in Vienna, Austria. A young man began reading books
on the history of the occult and Eastern religions. He spent hours in meditation while
staring at the spear on display that was alleged to have pierced the side of Christ. He
believed the spear possessed secret occult powers. He wanted those powers so he invited
those powers to invade his soul. In 1924 this man wrote a book, the English title would
have been translated My Struggle. It presented a philosophy of life that was
brazenly contrary to the Scriptures. When the book came out some people ignored it. Many
people laughed at the ideals expressed in the book. But, it turned out to be no laughing
matter. For every word in the book, 125 people died in WWII. The actual title of the book
was Mein Kampf. The author was Adolph Hitler.
Friend, it does matter what you think about! Your thoughts really do influence your
life! Proverbs 4:23 says, Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are
the issues of life. Paul wrote to the Corinthians and told them they needed to "bringing
into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." Joshua 1:8 This
book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and
night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein… A
penny for your thoughts…
On Giving
It’s not what you’d do with a million,
If riches should e’re be your lot;
But what are you doing at present,
With the dollar and quarter you’ve got?
(From: Nuts & Nuggets -- 1942)
|
